Chocolate Almond Truffle Squares Recipes

CHOCOLATE ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack., In a saucepan, combine the milk and 1 cup chocolate chips. Cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted. Remove from the heat; cool slightly. Stir in egg, almonds and extract. Spread over crust. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpicks inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. In a microwave, melt shortening and remaining chips; drizzle over top. Cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Baking pan or roasting pan at least 2 inches deep and large enough to hold the cake pan with at least 2 inches to spare on each side.
• Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with foil. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the bain marie when baking in the oven.
• Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Combine the 2 egg yolks with vanilla in a small bowl. Place the 3 egg whites in a medium bowl with cream of tartar. Set all 3 bowls aside.
• Combine the cocoa, flour and 2/3 cup sugar in a 1 1/2 quart heavy bottomed saucepan. Whisk in enough of the milk to form a smooth paste. Mix in the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, to prevent burning (especially around the bottom edges of the pot), until mixture begins to simmer. Simmer very gently, stirring constantly, for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until the mixture visibly thickens. Pour the hot mixture immediately over the chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in egg yolk mixture. Set aside.
• Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, beating at high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining egg whites. Scrape mixture into the cake pan and spread evenly. Set cake pan in baking pan and place on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water into the baking pan to come a third to halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
• Bake for exactly 20 minutes. The cake will only be about 3/4 inches tall. The surface will spring back when gently pressed but cake will still be quite gooey inside. Remove cake pan and water pan from oven. Remove the cake pan from the water and cool completely on a rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before serving. Refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 months.
• After the truffle sheet is well chilled, lift the edges of the foil to remove the truffle sheet from the pan. Cut the sheet into 7 strips, each about 1 1/4 inches wide, using a long thin sharp knife dipping in hot water and wiped dry between each cut (the cake is very sticky) or cut with dental floss. Cut each strip into 7 squares. Transfer each square to a fluted paper candy cup and or arrange on a serving platter. If garnishing with raspberries, simmer the preserves for a minute or until thick and sticky. Touch the hot preserves with the bottom of each berry before placing it on the truffle square. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TRUFFLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Chop fine 12 ounces of the chocolate. In a small saucepan bring the cream just to a boil, remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the chopped chocolate, whisking until the chocolate is melted completely. Whisk in the Amaretto, whisking until the mixture is smooth, and let the truffle mixture cool slightly.
• In a small heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt the remaining 4 ounces chocolate. Line the bottom of an 8-inch-square baking pan with wax paper and spread half of the melted chocolate in a thin layer on the paper.
• Freeze the chocolate layer for 5 minutes and top it with the truffle mixture, smoothing the surface. Drizzle the truffle mixture with the remaining melted chocolate, spreading it lightly, and sprinkle the melted chocolate with the almonds, pressing them lightly. Chill the mixture for 3 hours, or until it is firm. Turn the mixture out onto a cutting board, peel off the wax paper, and with a long sharp knife cut the mixture into 3/4-inch squares. The truffle squares keep, chilled in an airtight container, for 2 weeks.